The present invention relates to the exhaust systems for all terrain vehicles. More particularly it relates to four wheel vehicles of the type used for off-road travel for both recreational and work purposes.
Four wheel all terrain vehicles, typically referred to as ATV""s are currently offered for sale by several manufacturers. ATV""s appeared to have developed as an alternative to off-road motorcycles. As in the case of off-road motorcycles, they are of a rugged design, intended to withstand operation on very rough surfaces, even when traveling at relatively fast speeds. As is true with motorcycles, they are typically provided with a muffler system which is not very effective at reducing the noise caused by the exhaust of the engine. Just as the owners or riders of motorcycles, desired or preferred a greater sound level from the exhaust system then is typically the case with an automobile, so have ATV owners and riders. The more direct flow of exhaust gases through the usual mufflers on motorcycles and ATVs is more likely to permit hot solid particles to be released from the mufflers, which upon landing upon a combustible material could result in a fire.
Owners and riders are now finding new uses and therefor have new requirements for their ATVs. For instance, ATV owners and riders having a desire to use their vehicles on public lands, such as state and national parks, are meeting resistance to their use because of the exhaust noise of a stock ATV and because of the possibility of hot particles in the exhaust gases starting fires. Further some ATV owners and riders desire to use their ATVs for quietly approaching wildlife for the purpose of observation or hunting. Others desire to use their ATVs in ranching operations, where the load noise of stock ATV mufflers startles cattle thereby making it more difficult to approach them.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a arrangement whereby ATVs produced by several different manufactures could be readily equipped with an exhaust modification system for reducing the exhaust noise and likelihood of hot particles being emitted to the atmosphere in the exhaust gas. It would be of further advantage to provide an exhaust modification system, comprising a number of components, provided as a kit, which is adaptable for use with the stock exhaust system of ATVs produced by a plurality of different manufactures, and ATVs of the same manufacturer which are provided with different equipment.
It is an object of this invention to provide an exhaust modification system adaptable for use with the stock exhaust systems of ATVs to reduce the exhaust noise and the likelihood of hot particles being emitted to the atmosphere in the exhaust gas of the ATVs. It is a further object of this invention to provide an exhaust modification system comprising a number of components, provided as a kit, which is adaptable for use with stock exhaust systems of ATVs produced by a plurality of different manufactures, and ATVs of the same manufacturer which are provided with different accessories, to reduce the exhaust noise and the likelihood of hot particles being emitted to the atmosphere in the exhaust gas of the ATVs.
An exhaust modification system for use with the stock exhaust systems of ATVs to reduce the exhaust noise and the likelihood of hot particles being emitted to the atmosphere in the exhaust gas of the ATVs in accordance with this invention comprises a muffler, a plurality of exhaust pipes, connecting adaptors, and mounting and clamping devices.